Recently, the Government of Panama from Cuba cargo ship bound for Korea “Chungchon” was found on the surface to air missiles and MiG fighter parts, Cuban Foreign Ministry responded by saying, “Chungchon” was mounted on a “defensive weapons”, the original planned maintenance and then shipped to Korea shipped back to Cuba. Cuba in the hands of Soviet equipment Why shipped to Korea to repair it? South Korea, “Chosun Ilbo,” the 23rd citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute researcher Hugh Griffith as saying that North Korea repair and reconstruction of Soviet-made weapons are strong. North Korea on the old-fashioned weapons maintenance and renovation are very experienced, or even directly receiving equipment parts as a reward to transform their weapons.
According to South Korea “News Weekly,” said Korea Second Economic Committee is the core of the country’s military research institutions, which specializes in all kinds of enterprises affiliated institutes Soviet-made conventional weapons maintenance upgrade and even technological innovations, the most prominent achievements than the Su- system “Scud” missiles and T-62 main battle tank of the “Korea-style reproduction.”
According to the U.S. “global security” websites and other information disclosed, Second Economic Committee, headed by North Korea has hundreds of arsenal, most of which are equipped with Soviet weapons transformation experience. For example Liujing Zhu tank plant, although built in South Hamgyong emerging county in the valley, but it has advanced tanks and armored vehicles production and transformation technologies. According to public information, Liujing Zhu announced the production of the factory in 2003, “active jamming devices installed new tanks” (suspected Soviet vintage T-55, T-62 tanks, a new variant).
Japan’s “aviation enthusiasts” has claimed that North Korea focused on the development of the missile defense industry, the ground heavy weapons and nuclear weapons, aviation industry attention and investment are small, all hundred military enterprises, 115 quick converting military civilian enterprise Only two production of aviation products, where a is the Korea’s largest munitions factory, there are aircraft assembly line, another aviation products manufacturer in Chongjin, North Hamgyong suburbs, the plant also produces aerospace components. Even so, the two companies are still able to overhaul and upgrade the Soviet second-generation or third-generation fighter. In 1993, there was news that a North Korean arsenal use CKD two MiG-21 fighters, but due to lack of financial resources, the project did not proceed.
As for the T-62 tanks, witness Korea military transformation is even more capable “wonderful.” According to South Korean media reports, in 1978, the Soviet Union do not want to transfer more advanced T-72 main battle tank production license case, the T-62 discontinued their technology export to Korea, North Korea through the digestion and absorption and innovation to improve, Korea achieved a major breakthrough in the tank industry, and today is the South Korean Army as rival “Pegasus number” and “Storm” tank are evolved from the T-62, but the internal structure, firepower and protection properties are quite different especially their body size and weight more in line with the Korean Peninsula’s topography and little soldier manipulation. South Korea, “Chosun Ilbo” quoted a North Korean military system had worked “defectors” as saying that the Soviet Union, North Korea scrapped from Russia to buy a lot of T-72 tanks and body parts, through the “demolition of the old patchwork “understand and master the more advanced tanks construction and sophisticated equipment knack for” Storm “tank turned out a big help.
Korean “cultural Daily” reported that North Korea can be described as a variety of types of arms exports, from guns and ammunition to the portable air defense missiles and long-range missiles encompassing, but to imitate the Soviet AK-47 assault rifle AK-58 assault rifles in Africa welcomed. North Korea in order to avoid UN sanctions lead to trouble, and sometimes chartered aircraft transport of weapons, each costs about 250,000 -30 million. If you are using the ship transport, often after the Korean multinational port transit.
U.S. weapons experts Shuya Pollock worked in the Congressional Research Service in 2011 routine report that North Korea in 1987-2009, a total of 510 missiles to sell abroad. Which from 1987 to 1993, Korea exported a total of 420 missiles. Thereafter, from 1994 to 2000 when the first North Korean nuclear crisis were exported 30, 2001-2009 exports 60. He believes North Korea to Syria, Iran, Egypt, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and other countries exported at least seven missiles.